Manchester United boss Ralf Rangnick is opting for a different approach on Saturday as his side travel to Everton, with their Champions League hopes hanging perilously in the balance.
United were already up against it in the battle to secure a top-four finish, but their recent 1-1 draw against Leicester delivered yet another setback, with Arsenal and Tottenham three points ahead of the Red Devils in the hunt for a final qualification spot. That makes their game against Everton a must-win with only eight Premier League games remaining, but it won't be easy.
Everton may be struggling, but they are fighting for their lives at the wrong end of the table, and injury issues at United have left them extremely short for the trip to Goodison Park. But Rangnick has hatched a new plan to keep United battling as he looks to go back to basics.
Since Rangnick became interim boss, he has spent months trying to find his best team, along with making tactical adjustments such as the switch to a 4-2-2-2, in order to find a winning solution. But with multiple injury problems ahead of United's away trip to Everton, Rangnick is putting tactics to one side as the Red Devils have been urged to grind out a result via a more straightforward method.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Friday, Rangnick said: "If we look at the current situation in the table, we cannot afford to drop points anymore. Everybody in the team is aware of that.
"We still have a chance to qualify for the Champions League but in order to do that we definitely need to win the game tomorrow. We are all aware of the importance of the game for both sides, it's highly important for them and us as well.
"Character, energy, commitment to winning that game in that atmosphere are probably the most important qualities. For me, game plan and tactics are one thing tomorrow, but the most important is mentality, attitude, physicality, this will probably decide the game."
Cristiano Ronaldo was absent for United's 1-1 draw against Leicester although he is expected to return, but a number of first-team stars will be unavailable against Everton. Rangnick added: "Cristiano is back again, Luke (Shaw) is still injured. We had to take him off at half-time [against Leicester]. He's having problems with his leg he had an operation on back in 2015.
"The doctor told me they decided to remove two metal bolts from his legs, this will happen tomorrow. That means he will be out for the next two or three weeks.
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"(Edinson) Cavani is still injured. Raphael Varane is still injured and will miss out tomorrow. The same is true with Scott McTominay, I'm afraid, he's having problems with the sole of his foot, so those four players will be missing."
Therefore, Rangnick has called for elite mentality and attitude from the remaining members of United's squad, and Diogo Dalot has a answered the rallying call. "They are fighting for their lives, so we need to be completely sharp and completely focused on what we need to do," Dalot told United Daily. "We need to expect that they will try everything to get points. But we will go there with the mentality of coming back home with three points, win, have a good performance and get onto the next game."
With Erik ten Hag expected to be appointed by United in the summer, the remainder of Rangnick's season will influence the Dutchman's summer transfer window, with potentially brutal repercussions if they miss out on the Champions League. Former United star Wayne Rooney has already admitted it could take a few transfer windows for the Red Devils to challenge for the league once more, but no Champions League football next season could add further delays.
